Not being able to get to any of my favourite Marlborough spots for a meal or a glass of something has really made me appreciate how lucky we are to have places like Arbour, Scotch, and Harvest, Gastro-pubs, brew-bars and too many winery restaurants, cellar doors and cafes to list. Not to mention Grovetown Hotel. … Continue reading Absence Makes the Stomach Grow Fonder
Doughnut Economics
Amsterdam recently announced that it would be adopting the doughnut model as part of its approach to recovering from the impacts of covid-19. The doughnut refers to a framework proposed by Kate Raworth in her book Doughnut Economics. The spelling of the title should put you on immediate notice that we're not talking about Homer's … Continue reading Doughnut Economics
Green Shipping
Being a small island nation at the bottom of the planet, New Zealand is heavily reliant on shipping to take its goods to markets around the world. In 2019, exports of goods accounted for roughly 20% of New Zealand's GDP. It’s not surprising then, that pollution from shipping must represent a significant part of the … Continue reading Green Shipping
Not Returning to Normal
A newsroom article from the end of last month posed an interesting challenge - let’s not return to normal. It’s a reminder that with crisis comes the opportunity for positive change. Lockdown has had some benefits for the environment. It’s also a reminder that before the current crisis, we were dealing (or not dealing) with … Continue reading Not Returning to Normal
Duffle-loads of Goodness
As mentioned in a previous post, some proponents of regenerative farming describe it as a step beyond sustainability - improvement rather than just preservation. In keeping with that same spirit, Duffle & Co is certified as Climate Positive. Not only do they offset their own emissions, they make a further 20% contribution to sequestering carbon … Continue reading Duffle-loads of Goodness
Beyond Sustainability
I’ve been doing a bit of reading on regenerative agriculture recently and was sent an article by a colleague about the application of regenerative principles in Winegrowing. The Wine Enthusiast article is a simple but useful summary of some of the key elements of regenerative practices. Fundamentally it’s about treating the farm (or vineyard) in … Continue reading Beyond Sustainability
Plan B
There is no Planet B. I love this slogan, as far as slogans go, for a number of reasons. It reflects the global nature of the challenge we are all facing. He waka eke noa. We are all in this together. It reflects the need to do something. It’s not a choice. There is no … Continue reading Plan B
Being Good Ancestors
By living beyond the planet's means, consuming non-renewable resources, we are effectively borrowing from the future. Without any way of paying that loan back, and maybe without any intention of doing so, it’s hard not to look at that as theft. We're stealing from future generations. On top of that, our consumption of fossil fuels … Continue reading Being Good Ancestors
#TakeawayThrowaways
I love coffee as much as the next person, or more. Probably more. But I hate the idea of single-use disposable takeaway cups and lids. It’s not the 'takeaway' I don’t like, but the 'throwaway', which is why #TakeawayThrowaways makes so much sense to me. More on that later. Loving coffee, and hating disposable cups, … Continue reading #TakeawayThrowaways
The Koru Leading the Way
While the koru might sit at the back of our national carrier's planes, it’s great to see the koru leading the way in Sustainability. Air New Zealand won the Sustainable Business Leadership award at the Deloitte Top 200 Awards, which considered criteria including governance, leadership, accountability, long-term perspective and purpose, and initiatives that support sustainable … Continue reading The Koru Leading the Way
Agenda 